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Michele Babcock-Nice

I enjoy blogging about many different issues, including those of local, regional, and national interest, as well as personal experiences, family ancestry, education, religion, politics, and social justice matters. My local area is Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

If you are uncomfortable with people or issues, do you just stick your head in the ground?

I love this picture. I just think it’s so funny, but also sad. Locating it today while reading a fellow blogger’s post, I thought it appropriate to borrow for my own post on how people treat each other. Too often, people think ill of, mistreat, and/or misjudge each other. Like this ostrich, for many people, it’s just easier to stick one’s head in the ground, so to speak. Then, people are free to misjudge and mistreat each other because they refuse to see, understand, deal with, or cope with others and issues.

In the past year, I have worked hard at and have achieved a presence on LinkedIn. My connections span more than 800 people around the world, representing people of all backgrounds and professions, with all types of interests and beliefs. LinkedIn provides me with a vehicle to connect with others – of similar and different interests and backgrounds – throughout the world. It also provides me with a professional support system for those who are like-minded, and who stand up for causes for which I also support and in which I am active.

On a smaller scale, I have also worked to achieve a much smaller presence on WordPress with this blog. Admittedly, I have not worked hard at it, and that was not my intention. However, it has been my intention to share, educate, and inform about causes in which I believe, views that I hold, and certain life experiences. It has been refreshing, energizing, and inspiring to connect with and be supported by others who share similar beliefs, by others who work to further certain causes, by those who stand up for and take action for the good of others.

What is particularly interesting, and perhaps somewhat saddening and discouraging, are those folks who place roadblocks in the way of understanding, relating, empathizing, and/or simply communicating a good and/or supportive word. What I have noticed is that many people who are aware of the causes that I support, as well as what I say or communicate which may not be what they want to hear, stick their heads in the ground, similarly to the ostrich in the photo.

These folks have already made their judgements and/or misjudgements about me as the messenger, advocate, and activist, as well as about the issues. Once they have turned themselves off, it is typically like talking to a wall to encourage and promote interaction due to their discomforts and unnecessary judgements. It causes me to wonder how discouraged and disappointed Jesus – a wonderful, compassionate, innocent, and loving man – must have felt when so many people turned against him and condemned him.

Sadly, I have experienced certain people whom I had considered friendly and/or friends to be avoidant or mute, lacking in interaction and communication, even turning away and shutting me out – simply because they are uncomfortable with those issues, what I communicate about those issues, and/or that I am at all associated with those issues. Is it so uncomfortable to them to communicate with and/or interact with another individual who supports improvement in each of those areas? For many, I see that the answer is, “Yes.”

Perhaps, too often, people have their own issues and problems with which they are dealing, and they are unable to deal with or cope with hearing about, supporting, and/or advocating for positive change in those areas. They, therefore, may misjudge, mistreat, and/or blame the messenger. To me, such actions reflect that people, too often, may react toward certain people or issues without fully listening to, understanding, and/or delving more deeply through the superficial layers that they solely wish to perceive. And, as a result, such reactions are disappointing and discouraging.

I feel sympathy for those who do not understand, for those who blame the messenger, for those who – by their own inability to cope – are unable to stand with and support others who are working toward positive change for everyone. It always saddens me to “lose” a friend simply because I have exercised my right to free speech and have shared particular hard truths with them about certain issues. When people are unsupportive of others who promote activism and positive change for important issues, respect for and confidence in them by the activists is also lost. That stated, I am not one who is afraid to tackle the tough, challenging issues. And, I have a profound appreciation and respect for comrades who stand up for others in order to achieve improvement and positive change.

Throughout my life, there have seemed to be few who are willing to take risks and go out on a limb to promote important causes, and be activists and advocates for improving various areas of human life. Therefore, it is, indeed, disappointing to witness so many who are content and satisfied with simply walking away from such issues, refusing to become more educated about them, thinking such things won’t happen to them, turning their backs on others because someone says what they don’t want to hear, thinking they can avoid the people and the issues – until they have personal experience with them.

I find that most people are conformists, going with the flow, not wanting to make waves, not rocking the boat. In order to make our world better for ourselves and our children, we must be willing to take those risks in standing up for and supporting what is good and right. We must denounce those who harm others in any way. We must be role models for them and provide education in better, more successful ways to respond and react toward injustices, crimes, and/or mistreatment – ranging anywhere from poverty to bullying to rape and murder. We must remain compassionate, kind, and nurturing, but also honest, direct, assertive, and active.

All of the issues that I have identified in this post are likely those that many people do not wish to hear, however such issues must be addressed in such a way that will make the future better – not worse – for those who come after us. The issues are reflective of those relating to human rights, feminism, and social justice. They are good and important issues, as are the messengers who advocate for and support positive change regarding them. Therefore, let people not blame the messengers of the news that they don’t want to hear, but let them get involved, become more educated, achieve greater understanding, and work to create improvement and positive change so that the world is a better place for everyone!

Suffering. Just what is ‘suffering’ anyway? What is the meaning of suffering, and why do people suffer? Why do we experience suffering? Dictionaries and encyclopedias generally define suffering as relating to pain, distress, and/or emotional pain; anxiety, stress, or aversion to something subjective; and a negative emotion or feeling, etc.

The New World Encyclopedia defines suffering “as a negative basic feeling or emotion that involves a subjective character of unpleasantness, aversion, harm, or threat of harm.” I would like to take this definitions and understanding of suffering a bit further, expanding on it to include many types of suffering, including emotional, psychological, physical, physiological, social, moral, and spiritual suffering.

There are so many different types of suffering, and I’m sure that most of us have experienced many – if not all – of them. During Lent this year in 2012, I especially and personally contemplated the meaning of suffering. This is a topic about which I have thought in the past, though I found deeper meaning in contemplating it during this past Lenten season. I thought about Jesus, and all the suffering, pain, anguish, and turmoil he experienced prior to dying as our Savior. I know that it was God’s will for this to occur, though I wondered why – as I have wondered why throughout my life – this was necessary to occur.

One man – one holy, Godly man – is able to save us from our own sinfulness through the power of his suffering, death, and resurrection. Was there no other way to achieve that? Why was it necessary that Jesus experience such horrific and indescribable suffering in order to save us? Why, often, does society – even now – turn against those who are good, honest, moral, and ethical. Why, sometimes, is it that those who are self-serving, corrupt, unjust, unethical, and immoral make gains in their lives over those who are the opposite of them?

These are not only religious questions, but also philosophical and humanistic questions worth contemplating. Why is there suffering in the world? Why does it occur? Is it something that is necessary to occur as a result of our own humanity?

When I think about suffering, I think about things that I have experienced in my own life – or even that which family members have experienced – and then, when I hear about another’s suffering, what I have experienced sometimes seems to pale in comparison to theirs. An adult daughter of a friend and colleague is struggling to heal against breast cancer. This spring, a young girl in my child’s school was recently diagnosed with bone cancer, while another was diagnosed with diabetes. The daughter of a close friend has been struggling against breast cancer. Still others whom we know deal with great physical or emotional pain each day.

Others suffer with physical pain, including a dog that was reported to have killed a family’s two-month-old baby in April 2012. Still others also grapple with suffering that they may not be able to alleviate, of loved ones killed and who we are unable to revive and bring back. An example of this that is still all too fresh in our minds is the suffering and death inflicted upon so many at the movie theater tragedy in Aurora, Colorado (http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-10013055-2.html?tag=page;next). And, there are countless other examples of suffering, pain, and death that go on and on, such as the fighting in Syria and Northern Ireland, and even in some of our own neighborhoods, such as those in Chicago.

So much suffering. Why is there suffering? Why is it a “normal” condition of human life to have and experience suffering? Is it expected? Is it necessary? Is it an unavoidable condition of human life and of all life on earth? When people worry, are nervous, or are anxious, they experience some degree of suffering. When people are hungry, homeless, or in need, they are suffering. When anyone experiences any type of abuse – emotional, physical, sexual, even spiritual – they are suffering. How can we understand, alleviate, and/or overcome pain and suffering?

If someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic situation, such as a tragic death of a family member, loss of their home due to a natural disaster, or was involved in a terrible vehicle accident, they have experienced suffering. There are also those who self-impose suffering onto themselves, inflicting injury on themselves, drinking, doing drugs, being promiscuous, or doing illegal actions – they are suffering. Therefore, there exist the questions about why people hurt themselves.

Personally, I feel sorrow and sympathy for those who are suffering, as well as for those who have some type of need within themselves to create or cause suffering on or toward others. People who are bullies, those who are abusive, those who commit crimes, those who are hateful, those who have no conscience or sense of any wrong-doing when they take life-altering actions against others – I feel sorry for them and I pray for them. Indeed, I sometimes also feel anger, spite, judgment, and a lack of understanding for their actions, though I also pray for them.

For these people I just described, I believe they are those who need the most prayers. They may be those for whom society and the world let down, didn’t help, and turned away from, forcing them to fend for themselves, to survive in whatever ways possible, even if those ways were criminal. I feel sorry for them, and I may find it in my heart to be forgiving, but I believe it is important not to forget and not to allow oneself to be open to being hurt and/or injured by them in some way again.

Through all of this, we still come back to the age-old questions of what is suffering and why do people suffer? How can we alleviate and/or eliminate pain and suffering? These are questions that I am unable to answer, and continue to contemplate. Perhaps you can share your own insights.

People in positions of authority who don’t listen to or consider others aren’t leaders. It’s as simple as that. It seems that there are so many more people in our world who don’t listen to or consider others than there are those who do. What is extremely discouraging, disappointing, and disturbing is when an individual of common, everyday status approaches and/or comunicates with someone in authority about a serious issue or concern that can be changed or improved, and that person does not listen, does not care, and/or does not even consider what the other person has to say. We, therefore, must be very thankful for those people who do listen – whether or not they are in positions of authority and whether or not they are in a position to change a situation for the better. Those people seem to be getting fewer and fewer these days.

In my own experience and throughout my life, I have met, encountered, interacted with, and/or communicated with many people in positions of authority who, by their refusal to listen to, consider, and/or understand certain issues and concerns, are not true leaders. Leaders are those people who take charge and lead all others in a positive direction of beneficial development.

Sometimes, however, people in authority and in positions of leadership are unwilling and/or unable to listen to and consider the needs, issues, and concerns of others. Therefore, in my definition, they are not true leaders because they are unable to be open to truly hearing, considering, analyzing, and understanding issues that may bring about positive change that may and can be good and beneficial for everyone. People in positions of authority who are closed to others and who shut others out, by this definition, are not leaders.

It seems that there are sometimes too many people in our lives who are unwilling or unable to hear what we have to say. Perhaps our information is too uncomfortable for them to hear, or they are threatened by it in some way, or they are unable to cope with it. That is unfortunate for everyone because they are missing out on an opportunity to do something good for others. They, therefore, don’t even realize that they have missed a chance to improve something, to help another, and to potentially assist many others. They believe that they know the only right and correct way; they have closed themselves off from others, and believe they are protecting themselves from others.

In my life and experience, I have met, interacted with, and communicated with several people who, through their own discomforts, feelings of being threatened in some way, inability to cope, and/or simple refusal to listen caused them to shut me out, turning away from me. These people have included certain authority figures in higher education, churches, schools, businesses, family and friends, and even former intimate partners. When people are unable or unwilling to listen to information they don’t want to hear and/or with which they are unable to cope, they may shut you out, turn you away, deny you, discredit you, and/or even demonize you, simply for being direct, honest, truthful, and assertive.

It is, therefore, extremely important to be thankful and grateful for those who ethically and morally consider and listen to others, particularly when their information has, not only the potential to influence and assist that person in a positive way, but the potential to benefit many others, as well. There are some individuals out there who can and do listen. There are some folks who take positive and beneficial actions to help and protect others when they are informed about it. There are certain people – within the same and other groups that I mentioned above – who do act to help and benefit others, who seriously consider and analyze others’ actions and information, and who do not demonize and condemn the individuals who are providing truthful and honest information, even though it may be information that they don’t want to hear.

It is these people for whom we must be grateful. For these people, we must recognize and be aware of their personal and internal gifts and talents of truly being leaders. True leaders are strong in the face of persecution, even though others may have condemned and demonized them simply for stating or doing something with which others disagree or with which they are unable to cope. We must recognize, therefore, that the majority may not always be right or correct, ethical or moral, honest or truthful. What we must recognize is that even one or a few people can be correct over the majority, that perhaps even one or a few people who stand up for what is right even in the face of abuse, injustice, and persecution may have only the best interests of everyone in mind, not just that for themselves.

If you are a leader of a group, organization, business, or institution, how do you behave and what do you say to others in order to include, consider, and hear the concerns and issues of others? How do you examine, analyze, and research the information that has been given to you? Do you simply believe what others have to say about another person, simply because they may be in a potentially powerful position of authority over the other person? People in positions of authority are not always right and correct.

I identify Pope Benedict XVI as a good example of a person in authority who does not always do what is right and correct, in hiding and covering up the abuses of clergy throughout the world. I identify college or university presidents who do not listen to students who have concerns or issues about crimes committed against them by other students, or other college officials who will not consider other serious issues brought to their attention.

I identify school principals who bully teachers and students because they do not wish to draw attention to particular issues. I identify clergy who shut others out simply because they are unwilling or unable to cope with what others have to say. I identify governmental and political figures who won’t consider a different and perhaps better or more fair way of doing things in consideration of others. I even identify family members or relatives who are unable to hear or consider truthful and honest information, particularly when such information may potentially be to their benefit.

It is, therefore, very important to cultivate and maintain relationships with others who do consider, hear, listen to, and understand you. When you are completely honest and truthful with yourself, others who are also honest and truthful will recognize and appreciate your truth. It’s like the old sayings go, “Birds of a feather flock together,” and “they are like peas in a pod.” People who are similar understand, appreciate, and respect each other. People who stand up for what is right and correct find, understand, and appreciate each other, as well.

Thank you to all those who are able to hear, understand, listen to, and consider the truth, and what is right and good, even if it’s something that you don’t want to hear. For those of you who are unable to do so, I pray for you that your eyes, ears, and mind will be open to what others have to say.

Throughout my life and through my life experiences, I have generally found that people only want to hear “good” things. That is, it seems that people only want to hear what is good, pleasant, positive, or uplifting to them in some way. Those who have had much life experience, whether they are younger or older, can share that not all life experiences are good, though it is still important to be able to share about them with others.

People generally seem to love the “feel good” communications, messages, and information that they receive and/or share. I admit and agree that I enjoy such information just as much as any other. However, in order for people to remain “real,” we must understand that in order to continue growing, developing, and improving ourselves, we must also recognize, realize, and deal with experiences, issues, or concerns that are hurtful, painful, and potentially negative.

Because there may be a tendency for people to avoid or shut out information that they do not want to hear, there may also be a tendency to “blame” or “revictimize” the individual who has experienced a painful situation. It sometimes seems that the person who has been hurtful to another has not at all been hurt by the situation that he or she caused, but actually feels good about it and such situation may have served to boost their own ego. Psychological research has reflected this in the case of bullies who interact negatively with their targets. The bullies feel good and get an ego boost, while the targets feel badly and are hurt by it. Similar research has reflected this phenomena in sexual predators.

So, what do people want to hear? I think the answer is that people generally want to hear about good and wonderful things, and may not have the training necessary to be equipped to cope with things they don’t want to hear. As a result of some of my own life experiences and those of others that have been painful, in sharing about them, I have found that there are a very few who are successfully able to hear, listen to, and cope with the knowledge of and information about them.

This, therefore, creates a very small number of people with whom one can relate about deep and serious issues. Sometimes, then, it is necessary to seek professionals with whom to communicate with such issues when others do not understand them or may make them worse. When people do not present an understanding about the issues, they may also unnecessarily misjudge the person who is simply the messenger, the one who is simply providing the information. Then, they may inaccurately associate the messenger with the issue that was presented and about which they do not want to hear.

Red Flower in Garden, August 2012

There is alot of information out there. Some of it is good, and some, not so good. Within it all, however, I believe there is some good that can be made out of it or that can come from it. Yes, people generally feel good about positive, pleasant, and happy situations. However, we can also come together in genuinely caring community and loving fellowship when we recognize and deal effectively, positively, and successfully with issues that have a negative or painful impact. Since we are all different and unique, but also similar, each individual may have his or her own views on what constitutes successfully and positively coping with something.

When we mobilize to help survivors of natural disasters, that is a reflection of something good coming from a painful situation. When we listen to others and guide them in ways of helping themselves rather than denying them or shutting them out, those are ways of bringing something positive to a situation or experience. When we use our gifts and talents to help others who are in need, who are impoverished, who are in pain, and who are suffering in some way, we are showing the genuine care and love to others that God intended us to use. These are the good things that people want to hear that can come from situations and/or experiences that have potentially been hurtful or painful.

When people blame, punish, misjudge, or revictimize others because of hearing what they don’t want to hear, they are not using their natural gifts and talents to help, assist, and support others in finding a better way to help themselves. It is in these situations when people potentially try to “fix” a situation without adequate care or understanding that the situation may potentially be made worse.

Sometimes, when people hear what they don’t want to hear, and react negatively to it, an opportunity for growth, development, and knowledge for something more positive may be lost. This also reflects that people hear what they want to hear, even though they may not understand the true message. It also reflects that people may react negatively to a situation simply because it is something that they don’t want to hear.

Pink Flower in Garden, August 2012

Life is full of things that we want to hear and that we don’t want to hear. How we cope with and communicate with others about such information can make all the difference in either helping or hurting another. We must first take a close look at ourselves and analyze how we process and cope with information – that which we may view as positive, negative, or neutral. And, we must realize that life and all of what we experience in it are learning experiences. We can make it good or bad.

We can take painful experiences, and work to make similar, future situations better for others. We can take happy experiences and work to share the joy in them with others. We can decide only to be open to and “hear” the good about situations and experiences. We can filter out what we don’t want to hear. Or, we can “hear” what we don’t want to hear and work to make future, similar experiences better for ourselves and others. What do you want to hear?